[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/220120/39ad52ee6dbb97d2aa971d3a64bbe0ef.png[/img][/center]
[center][i][h3]10 Years Later[/h3][/i][/center]
[b]"Hey! Get up!"[/b] the voice rattled inside of Sora's head as he blinked his eyes open to his roommate, a boisterous Quilava named Asher who sent him a beaming grin as he saw the Eevee's dark eyes blink open. [b]"We gotta get to the guild hall. Apparently there's some big job that is going down and the boss is trying to decide who get to go."[/b] There were practically tremors going through his partners body at the prospect of getting to go on whatever job this was and he fought to not roll his eyes.

[color=a0410d][b]"Alright, I'm up,"[/b][/color] he grumbled as he pushed himself up onto weary paws with a grunt. He had spent the previous night wandering the city of Icerend where he'd found himself after he'd left Sunspear several years ago after his father died. He wished he could've left earlier, the memories of what happened at the cave had gnawed at his brain every waking, and dreaming, hour until he had escaped. He knew that he had pretty much shut everyone off once they got back, but he just couldn't bear to look his sisters in the eye. Especially Lumi when she started to act like almost nothing had happened. Being chipper and cracking jokes like their brothers were still alive. He couldn't take it.

He blinked himself out of his thoughts to see Asher's concerned red eyes looking at him. He had never said anything to his friend about what had driven him away from his home. He just gave the other Pokémon a weak smile before shaking the remainder of sleep from his body and stretching with a sigh. [color=a0410d][b]"Ok, let's get going before we're late."[/b][/color] 

Asher grinned and bounded out the door with Sora following at a much slower pace. The sun was still rising over the horizon along the northern coast of the city and he let a small smile come to his face as he smelled the sea air and heard the Wingulls calling to each other in the air. It was slightly colder than in Sunspear, but he liked the chill since it helped wake him up. They padded through the streets, greeting some of the other Pokémon who were up and about this early in the morning. Mostly the shop keepers as well as the post who needed to get started early. More accurately Asher was greeting them with a bright enthusiasm that he found difficult to match. A brief flash of rage directed at his friend hit along with jealously as he questioned how the Quilava could be so chipper. He wanted to smack the smile off his face.

The anger faded just as quickly as it had come making him feel regret and exhaustion. He didn't want to take anything out on his friend, but keeping everything pent up was slowly eating away at him. He shook the thoughts free though as they made it to the towering walls of the guild hall. Asher pushed the door open and they entered the lobby where the other members of their adventuring team were scattered about; waiting for Cash, their boss.

He and Asher settled off to the side and chatted quietly until the whole guild quieted down as the massive Pyroar that led them padded in front of everyone, his fiery mane glowing in the early morning light. Everyone watched with rapt attention as Cash spoke to, [b]"Good morning everyone,"[/b] his deep voice carried easily, [b]"I know it's early, but we have an interesting proposition that has been brought to us in recent days."[/b]

Sora perked up a bit. [i]Did they finally have a real job?[/i]

[b]"One of our fellow adventuring teams has offered a joint operation with us."[/b] That was not what Sora had expected Cash to say and he sunk back down. Though he did swivel his head a bit as said group started to file their way into the hall and everyone shifted out of the way. He felt his eyes go impossibly wide as he saw a familiar flash of a pale pelt. No, no, it couldn't be her. He refused to work a job with her.